students

Just Dance is an interactive video game for Wii that allows you to follow choreographed dance routines for fun, exercise or in competition with other players. I got turned on to it at a party and bought it for myself shortly afterward. It’s great fun in groups, but more than that, it can be a fabulous teaching tool if you just know what to look for.

So, how can a teacher use this improve her classes?

Dance Structure
All the routines in Just Dance 2 were created by professional choreographers who created their dances knowing that players would be following along. This makes a big difference in what is choreographed. If you compare the game play dances to the dances by the contest winners, you will see what I mean. While the contest winner dances are good, you aren’t going to get someone to follow along very easily without a lot of breakdown and stopping and starting. So, if you are choreographing for beginners, a Follow-the-Leader type class or to teach specific skills, you may want to emulate the game play style when creating your class choreographies.

Dance Follow Musical Structure
All the Just Dance 2 routines follow the musical structure. The songs are broken up into blocks. The dance moves repeat when the musical blocks repeat. For example, in Rasputin, the blocks EFG show up three times. Each time they show up, the same moves are repeated. If your class choreography is also done this way, your students may learn to “see” musical blocking without ever having a lesson on music theory.

Another interesting musical construction strategy in Rasputin that could be highlighted in class is how the blocks ABC show up later in the song in reverse order of CBA. This piece could be taken out to use as an example of retrograde (performing things in reverse order). Allowing students to make up their own combinations then do them in reverse order could make for a fun class, but more than that, it can open up creativity.

Using What is Different
Any time you learn someone else’s choreography, you are exposed to how the choreographer uses his body. This is often quite different than how you habitually move. Since there are really only a handful of movements in belly dance, keeping it interesting has a lot to do with how moves are combined, framed, and how you transition in and out of them. To increase your own repertoire and spark creativity, it could be interesting to pick out what’s different from what you normally do in someone else’s choreography and either drill those parts or create variations on them.

You can (and probably should) do these types of exercises in class without Just Dance 2 as they teach students how to think about dance so that they can grow on their own. However, using Just Dance 2 as a framework adds something fun and unexpected to the dance experience. The routines are fun and doable. The songs are easily recognized so that you don’t have to spend a lot of time learning the song just to talk about one piece of it. Even if you don’t want to use it in the classroom, I highly recommend watching or playing it to get great classroom exercise ideas as the songs and choreographies are fun and imaginative.

Just Dance 2 and wii are widely available at department stores, online, and video game stores.

I am amazed at how many dancers are unaware of how much their breath affects their energy level and efficiency. If you are a dancer who finds herself out of breath after performing, dancing with a dry mouth, experiencing anxiety before performing, or feeling emotionally drained after a performance, read on! Learn about how improving breathing makes better belly dance performances.

Most people don’t know how to breathe effectively. Most of us breathe very shallow and high in the chest. This doesn’t allow the lungs to expand fully. This doesn’t rid the body of all the carbon dioxide nor does it give us a good supply of oxygen.

We also hold our breath when we concentrate or get nervous. This brings tension into our bodies. The more tension we have, the more shallow we breathe. It can become a vicious circle!

But don’t worry. We all were born knowing instinctively how to breathe well. We can learn how to do it correctly again.

If you look at babies, you will notice that they breathe slowly with a steady rhythm. They don’t hold their breath. Their bellies expand fully. They breathe through both nostrils. If you are not doing this naturally and easily, here is how you can start.

Lie down on your back. Close your eyes and breathe naturally. Don’t do anything in particular. Just breathe through your nose and notice the breath going in and out. Continue “watching” your breathing until it becomes slow and soft.

Once you are breathing slowly and easily, count the seconds it takes to inhale and exhale. If your inhalation takes 5 seconds, make sure that your exhalation is also 5 seconds. Don’t force the breath. Straining will cause tension and that’s what you want to avoid as tension makes the breath higher and faster. Go only to 70% of capacity and don’t leave a gap between breaths. In other words, don’t count, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (pause) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Be careful not to hold your breath.

Once you have established a steady rhythm, you are ready to direct your breath into your belly. Put one hand on your belly just below your belly button and one hand on your chest. The hand on your belly should rise every time you inhale. As you exhale, the belly should return to normal. The hand on your chest should always remain still. Practice this for ten minutes a day. After a month, you should notice that you are able to do this naturally at any time during the day without thinking about it. You should also notice that you have more energy during your dance, have less or no anxiety before performing, and sweat less.

If you want your breath to be even more efficient, you can practice expanding the breath so that it fills the bottom, middle, top, and sides (where your hip bones are) of the belly. Do this slowly. Add only one new area to your breath workout each month.
You may also want to incorporate breathing into your warm up. This ritual brings attention to the importance of your breath and helps to center you so that you can focus on what you are doing. Start by bringing your body into the basic belly dance posture. Take a couple of deep breaths.

As you are breathing, mentally scan your body to make sure that you are indeed in alignment and that no tension exists anywhere in the body. If you notice more weight on one side or a hip or shoulder is higher than the other, correct it and continue scanning. If you find a spot of tension, mentally let go of it as you exhale.

Continuing scanning the body and breathing slowly until you are satisfied that you are in alignment and are relaxed.

As you move into your warm up movements, coordinate your breath with each movement so that you exhale on the extension (moving away from the body) and inhale on the contraction (moving toward the body). Keep the breath and the movements slow and smooth. If the extension takes five seconds, the contraction should take five seconds. Continue to coordinate breath with movement for a minimum of five minutes. If your warm up includes movements that hold, be sure to breathe through those movements. Never hold your breath. Including breath work in your warm up should decrease the amount of time it takes to fully warm up the body as efficient breathing increases vascular functioning without increasing your heart rate.

With just a few minutes a day of breath work, you could increase your energy level and power while reducing your stage fright. It’s such an easy change to make with incredible benefits, so why not start today?

I think it’s time we had a frank conversation about the Dark Side of belly dance. All of us pay tribute to idea of belly dance as a place of safety, understanding, and belonging. It’s true that it brings women together, overcomes prejudices, and levels the playing field for young, old, thin, fat, and everything in between. The truth of the matter is, there is a dark side too that is only talked about in whispers. Maybe we’re too afraid of looking like we’re not down with the sisterhood code if we acknowledge it, but it’s there.

A real sister is one who will tell it like it is, not stand by pretending that life is roses and shimmies. We all need someone who will honestly tell us, “Girl, you’re crazy is showing” when we need to hear it. We also need real sisters to lean on so that when it’s the other person being crazy, we have the perspective to see things as they are.

So let’s talk about what crazy looks like first so that you know when “It’s not me, it’s you.” If you are doing any of this, it’s you, girlfriend.

Spreading stories about another dancer which are designed to hurt her reputation.

Making people feel uncomfortable if they want to be friendly with someone you don’t like.

Seeing other people’s progress or success as hurting you when in reality, a rising tide lifts all boats.

Sitting out an event because you don’t want to see it succeed, you weren’t given a big enough part, or the greater glory will go to someone else.

Making your students feel that going to someone else’s class or events is “disloyal.”

Losing sleep over what someone else is doing.

Constantly checking facebook and webpage updates to see what someone else is up to.

Planning your wardrobe, appearances, events, or class schedule for the maximum disruption to another dancer’s life.

Talking nonstop about how another dancer wronged you or held you back.

Undercutting to get someone else’s, or perhaps everyone else’s, job.

Choosing no benefit over something that would create mutual benefit.

If you are doing any of these things, it’s time to get a grip. Your crazy really is showing, and trust me when I tell you, anyone who is not drinking Kool-Aid can see it.

The problem is never someone else, and you aren’t going to get rid of the problem by putting someone else down. If you get rid of her, there will always be another cute, fit, young, talented dancer to take her place. Get yourself right and they will never feel like a threat to you.

So, what’s a girl to do when the other person is the bully and you’re the target? My advice is actually the same for you. Get yourself right and it won’t matter what they do. Your self-worth can’t be torn down by the uninformed opinion of someone else if you don’t give them that power. Your SELF-worth comes from you, after all. So claim it. Keep it, and it can never be taken from you.

Lies are a bit harder to overcome. They can have traction if spread with enough momentum and by enough people. However, everything has a way of coming out in the wash. Our work speaks for us. Do good work. Create a track record of good work. Be professional and polite at all times and people who are in touch with themselves will see the disparity and question the truth.

If your friends want to desert you for someone else, wish them well. That’s what a good friend does. She allows her friends to make choices for themselves that will make them happy. It’s okay. Sometimes people need a break. Sometimes we outgrow each other. People who no longer resonate with the same energy will clash anyway. So it’s for the best. The friends may come back or not, but friendship offered with an open hand is the only true kind. If you have to hold on by a leash, it’s not much of a friendship anyway, is it?

Don’t sit around complaining about it. Misery loves company. You can always find a girlfriend or two to cry, bash someone else, and tell you you’re right and the other person is wrong. A real girlfriend will hear you out and then tell you to get off your pity party and look to the future. The past is over. Nothing will change it. When you move forward with joy and anticipation, there is no room in your head or heart for hurt feelings. Have a good cry, then move on.

Whatever you do, don’t join the bully on the Dark Side of belly dance. As Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.” Be that light. The community needs more of it.

A real sister acknowledges the human side of everyone and not just the fun, pretty, shiny stuff. What really makes the community a safe place is honesty, integrity, and self-discipline. It is up to each of us to demonstrate and claim that for ourselves. When each of us can be a good sister (by honestly calling our peers on their stuff, giving support, and policing ourselves), we will truly have the sisterhood we all are attracted to. There can be no real sisterhood until we have emotional safety for all, not just a superficial show of solidarity.

There are dos and there are belly dance don’ts. Here are a list of suggestions that can help pretty up your belly dance performance, keep you from offending the audience, and keep your dancing clean.

No Crotch Shots to the Audience
If you are bending at the waist, whether standing or on your knees, do it so that your waist faces the side or the back.

Keep Your Knees Together
There are few moves (like a wide hip circle) that require a wide legged stance. Not only will keeping your feet together give you better balance, it will reduce the sexual suggestiveness of your dance.

If You Are on a Raised Stage, Wear Something Under Your Skirt
People can see more than you think- especially if you spin, turn quickly or do kicks. You want to make sure that whatever is seen, it looks like a part of your costuming, not underwear or your body. Don’t wear flesh colored undies. It’s better for the audience to know that they saw cloth than to think they saw your butt.

Don’t Touch Yourself When You Dance
Lots of people have minds that are a step away from the gutter. Don’t take them the rest of the way by giving them that extra visual.

If You Must Have Cut Outs, Err on the Side of Modesty
I bought a costume with cut outs covered by flesh colored inserts once. I thought it was appropriately sexy, but when I saw one man’s reaction to it, I couldn’t wear it anymore. I was too self-conscious. That negatively impacted my dancing. Nothing could be seen, but the illusion of seeing something created the same impact as if I was exposed.

Make Sure Your Costume Fits Properly
I have seen more than one belly dancer who inadvertently flashed nipples. Most of them would be horrified to know that this happened, but if there is the slightest chance of that happening, wear something else.

Pin Your Belt and Bra
The closures on belly dance costumes aren’t always secure. Having a back-up will prevent the top falling straight down (seen that) or the back popping open (seen that too).

Other Than a Veil, Don’t Remove Costuming Items While on Stage
This is very suggestive of stripping. We have a hard enough time separating ourselves from strippers, so just don’t do it.

Don’t Simulate Orgasm on Stage
There are belly dancers who make these faces that look like they are having orgasms… and then there are those who imitate this who just look foolish. Don’t. If it works, you leave nothing to the imagination. If doesn’t work, you just look odd.

Maintain Personal Space
It’s often REALLY crowded when dancing in a cabaret setting, but you are generally in control over how close you get to your audience. If you violate personal space, you can make your audience very uncomfortable. It doesn’t matter if you are doing anything overtly sexy or not. To be safe, just don’t get too close.

Be Very Careful About Touching People
This goes along with the suggestion above. You are almost never going to touch people, but I certainly do to take pictures or have a little fun. Feel this out. Just don’t go up and touch anybody. If their body language indicates that it’s okay, proceed cautiously.

NEVER Take Tips in Your Bra
This tells your audience that they can touch your body in private places. I don’t think you want that, do you? It’s also associated with stripping. (Not to mention that it is illegal in some areas, like Virginia). If you see someone going for your breasts, turn away.

Don’t Use the Stage For Your Therapy
Belly dance is very therapeutic and empowering. They express and feel through dance things that are healing; however, it may not be appropriate in a public setting. If you are unsure about whether your ideas are right for your venue and audience, better to err on the side of caution.

You are not responsible for what other people think. You don’t have control over how anything is perceived, but the cleaner you keep your dance, the less chance there is for misinterpretation. It’s in the best interest of your audience, yourself, and the art form.